DIY Rosemary Hot Oil Hair Treatment

7 Easy Ways to Use Coconut Oil in Your Beauty Routine

Though I love using coconut oil for cooking, it definitely isn't only useful in the kitchen. In addition to cooking with it, I actually use coconut oil for several other purposes that have nothing to do with food. In fact, coconut oil is a really useful ingredient in my daily beauty routine.

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This looks amazing! One question before I get started: how often can I wash my hands with this? Will my hands get sore if I wash with the scrub too often? Thanks for the great idea!

I wouldn’t use it more than once a day. I typically use it 2 – 3 times a week and gently scrub (not too hard). Everyone’s hands and skin are individual though so definitely use it at a frequency that your body tolerates.

You could try adding extra sugar so it is thicker, but I usually just give it a stir before using it.

How long would this keep since there is food in it?

I don’t really have an answer to that. I use mine up pretty quickly. You can make smaller batches if you are worried, store in the refrigerator, or use essential oils instead of lemon zest for the scent.

I made this for a graduation present for my friend. I used Orange and a Strawberry extract, smells okay, but could have used way less oil. What should I do to make it less oily?

I’ve never had a problem with it having “too much oil” as you have experienced, but the way I would troubleshoot is to add more sugar and/or salt until you reach whatever consistency it is that you desire.

Great idea! Thanks for the idea.

this would be a great mothers day gift or house warming,or just for myself!

I recently read a post on a homemade face cleanser (made with oils) they suggested using sunflower oil for the moisturizing part of the cleanser, stating that it is more moisturizing than olive oil. I have yet to try it but thought I’d suggest it since they say that and some have mentioned the olive oil scent is too strong…I’m not sure about the scent of sunflower oil.

Also wanted to say this sounds great and I can’t wait to try it and share it!!

I’ve made several batches of this for gifts this holiday season and also several for myself. I tried it with olive oil, but thought that the it over powered the lemon scent. Then I tried both safflower and sunflower oils which are still affordable and easy to find. I liked both of them much better.

I’ve made several batches of this for gifts over the past few days and have tried several variations including, Orange-Clove (using orange zest, clove oil, orange extract & olive oil). I’ve also found that grapeseed oil is a much lighter color and has a very light scent which doesn’t overpower the citrus or essential oils the way the olive oil does. These hand scrub variations might be my new hobby!

I just made this for Teacher gifts for Christmas. I tested a little and it is amazing! I think my husband is going to love it, his hands get terrible delivering mail in the MN winters. I too had trouble getting mine to smell like the Lemon essential oil (Used probably 30-40 drops in my double batch of scrub), smelled more like the olive oil. Works great though, hope the teachers appreciate it! Thanks fro the great idea!

Hi! Thanks for this great recepie! I have just tried it and it’s great.

I just went in the kitchen made and tried it out myself. My hands feel heavenly. I’m a nurse and wash my hands in excess at times. They are often dry and sometimes cracked but not now. However I don’t know if I did something wrong but mine smells like olive oil. I even put extra lemon extract in it.

You could try using a lighter olive oil or canola oil instead, but I like the fresh scent of lemon and olive oil for the kitchen. If you want no scent from oil, try doTERRA’s Fractionated Coconut Oil. It is completely unscented and silky smooth. I didn’t know about this brand back when I made the original scrub recipe, so that is why I had used olive oil.

Correct. I have used orange instead of lemon and also essential oils.

This looks great, can’t wait to experiment with other scents! Thank you for posting.

Wow – Thank you for all your inspiration, such great ideas ! I noticed on the Rosemary Mint Sugar Scrub that you have kosher or epsom salt – will epsom salt work with the Natural Moisturizing Kitchen Hand Scrub too? Thanks so much 🙂

I haven’t tried it in that one yet but I’m sure it would be fine.

I have lurked about but never left a comment. I just want to say thank you for all the great gift ideas!! I have made salt/sugar scrubs for a number of years and have found they have a fairly long shelf life. Sugar and salt are both natural preservatives and the oil typically does not go rancid unless it is exposed to high temperatures. I usually make mine around the beginning of November to give as Christmas presents.

Could you use coconut oil in place of the olive oil?

If it is liquid coconut oil that would work, but I don’t know about the kind that is solid at room temp.

Hi Katie! I love this, and it’s on my TO DO list for teachers! can you tell me, could I TOTALLY wack this recipe, and leave out the lemon and add pure vanilla extract instead? do you have any idea? Thank you for taking the time to answer comments, too…. I have LOVED reading them!

Hi Diane – I have no idea on the vanilla extract since I have not tried that. Perhaps try an essential oil instead if you do not like/want the lemon.

Would there be an reason NOT to use lavender oil? I’m obsessed with the smell lately, and think it would be a great bathroom addition, along with a kitchen lemon scrub. Thanks for the great teacher-gift ideas.

1/4 tsp pure lemon extract, optional

is this optional to use in place of the zest..or just to give a stronger fragrance?

Great idea!

I love the idea of the zest but I am going to make some for gifts and I don’t want to have to worry about them going bad so I think I am going to do just lemon essential oils (I LOVE LOVE lemon)! So how much should I add if I am just using essential oils?

I would start with 4-6 drops of the oil and then test it to see if the scent is strong enough. It varies depending on the brand of oil too as some are more pure than others. I really like doTERRA. They are the best on the market, in my opinion.

A few weeks with the zest, but you could use lemon (or other scent) essential oils and it will last as long as the oil keeps. I like doTERRA essential oils.

Can you tell us where you purchased the cute jars and ribbon?

The jars are just regular Ball canning jars. They’re available at my grocery store. The ribbon I got at Micheal’s. The one around the lid is sticky on the other side. I think it might have been a Martha Stewart line.

Is it ok to us lavender instead of lemon?

absolutely!

I am looking forward to making this. I have a sensitivity to odors and have to be very careful with soaps, detergents, and cleaning products.. Even the so-called unscented hand soaps sometimes bother me. I love the smell of lemons, so this is perfect for me! Thanks!

I think it would be *really* cute to do 4 baby food jars with grapefruit, orange, lemon and lime, print out a cute label on each listing the ingredients stack them on top of each other wrap them up with a ribbon in the classic or ‘criss cross’ pattern with a pretty bow on top! Perfect present for in laws, teachers, friends!

Absolutely ADORABLE idea!!!!!!

I’m wondering if you can add some essential oils in place of the extract. Like – making a peppermint sugar scrub (soothing for the feet) or peppermint and orange (both are useful in restoring moisture).

essential oil was exactly what I was thinking!!! You could use what ever fragrance you love.

This is such a great gift idea!

I just tested this with grapefruit zest and it is wonderful. I would, next time, use a little less olive oil, but otherwise it is sensational! I am going to make a few jars to give to my friends for the holidays. Easy, smells nice, and different than baked goods! Thank you!

I am a very inexperienced canner so I don’t know about that. It will last longer if you use essential oils instead of the zest if that is what your concern is. I like I like doTERRA essential oils.

doterra oils are amazing!!!! love mine! what a fab idea!

I don’t think you need to seal it, and it should last for a very long time. Citrus are so acidic that they are hard to spoil, oil will cut the zest from air and salt and sugar are two natural preservatives, used since many years to preserve food (think jam or salted fish for instance).

This is terrific ~ just what I need. No chemicals fresh-citrus-scented, perfect!! Can’t wait to make some.

kelli – I hadn’t even thought about that. If you’re worried about it you could keep it in the fridge to extend the life of it or make a smaller batch at a time. Without the zest I suppose it would probably last for quite some time. I think you’ll find that it gets used up fairly quick though.

this is awesome and what a wonderful gift to give. i can see it with a pretty ribbon and a small wooden spoon. looks easy enough for me to make.

This scrub is awesome! I used grapefruit zest and all sugar, no salt. I have one jar by the kitchen sink and one in the shower to soften rough feet, knees and elbows. Thanks so much for this recipe!cheft